History was made in early 2010 when Tomas Sanchez became the very first Garífuna in Guatemala to start blogging. If you are interested in learning about the Garífuna on a deeper level, Garifuna culture and spirituality beyond the tourists' vision, then here is where you need to be. Gain insight into the reality of the Garífunas in Livingston and feel free to leave comments. Thank you for visiting.

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Stand By What You Say

Day- 35- Sat. 11/6/16- It is 5:14 in the morning and Stand
by what you say is in the making.

For a man to say that he is “Pretty” is not an ever day
occasion, and it is not an easy concept to grasp. So far, he has been the only
pretty man I have ever seen in a ring. He has been the only pretty man to stand
by what he say, rain, shine, wet or fine, please smile with me.

We first heard of Mohammad Ali in the early seventies while
living in Pomona Valley in the district of what is now Dangriga Belize. During
his last fights in early eighties we were already living in South Central in
Los Angeles.

Yesterday we were watching cable television live from
Kentucky, where Mohammad Ali shared his youth. We were able to learn how Ali
has touched our lives. To touch the world in a way that Ali did, unfolds in
unique ways.

To stand by what you say, from our point of view cannot be
measured by the amount of words that you are using to get the message across.
Ali was able to use a lot of words to get the message across; however it was
the principles behind those words that made him pretty.

One of our favorite
concepts to date is to stand by what we say; “principles” however have brought
us to this moment. We want to world to know that the Garifuna Nation will miss
you.

On the other hand, we have been feeding the idea that we
were going to share has unfolded during the past seven days starting here “
Day- 27- Fri. 3/6/16- It is 6:11in the morning and have been thinking about a
date that has been set aside. The 26th July 2016 will be a Day 40 and symbolize
a return. It will be four years this
July since the largest group of youngsters ever gatherer together in
Gangadiwali.

It will be four years since we have been cultivating the
idea of a return, the return of the young brothers and sisters who were in
Gangadiwali four years ago. We have mentioned before the importance of a
relationship between the two faces.

The old face and the new face, has to have something in
common. We believe that our Spirituality
is the common ground. It has been our guiding light and it is taking us back to
Gangadiwali.

Day 28- Sat. 4/6/16- It
is 4:58 in the morning and has been
thinking about a message we shared with you yesterday morning that goes
like this “We believe that our Spirituality is the common ground.”

We came in contact with Bro. Fermin, Bro. Fafa and Bencho on
my way to La Pista to visit Waba yesterday. From our point of view, it was
obvious that our center was Garifuna Spirituality. We have said before and we are saying it again
that our Spirituality has not failed us, we have failed our Spirituality.

The situation and condition in Guatemala is calling for
change. The situation and condition among the Garifuna Nation is calling for
change. Our Spirituality is calling for change.

It will be vitally
important for the reader to understand that this message will have to go beyond
our personal differences. Change comes with a price. Change is the result of
cause and effect.

The 26th July 2016
will fall on a Tuesday more or less fifty two days away and would like for you
to join us on a Spiritual Adventure.

We asked the readers a question not long ago about when was
the last time you did something for the first time. A Spiritual Adventure is a
concept that allows you to see Heaven on Earth.

Day-29- Sun. 5/6/16- It is 5:02 in the morning and was
thinking about what unfolded in front of our eyes at the head quarters of
ONEGUA at the monthly meeting for the community leaders yesterday evening.

The main menu of the meeting continues to be the water
crisis in La Buga. We were told by one of the engineers who came with the team
that they had been at the same water source in 1998 trying to do same thing
they are doing now. They told us in so many words that there is enough water at
the source to supply La Buga twenty four hours for the next forty to fifty
years.

In this case, we would like our readers to understand that
so far it has been a process. We are getting a second chance at the same
project eighteen years later. We are
inviting to join us and support the cause.

Let’s not be the ones to be blamed by the future
generation. Let’s not be the ones to
stop the growth of La Buga, because without water there will be no growth.
Let’s be the ones to take a chance at the possibilities. Let be the ones to
take a chance at “change.”

Day-30- Mon. 6/6/16-
It is 2:44 in the morning and our mind is set on this moment. From our point of
view, a moment like this is what heaven on earth is all about; it is when the
mind, body and soul come together as one.

The mind, body, and soul now become “we” it is an
understanding that at this dimension we become the past, present and future.
Now in this moment we are the Ancestors of Tomorrow.

The word that caught my attention this morning while we were
studying the Strategic Plan of the Parlamento Garifuna was the word Vision .

The concept of a Vision for our Nation is vital, in this
case where do we see ourselves in the future. Heaven on earth is a moment that
continues, from this moment, to the moment this message finds you, it becomes
an understanding.

Day-33- Thurs. 9/6/16- It is 4:31 in the morning and just
got through studying RESOLUCIÓN N0. 452
it got to our hands by way of Bro Baldo Estero yesterday but was issued
on April 8th 2016, by the Ministry of Education of Guatemala.

RESOLUCIÓN N0. 452,
is now an “agreement” that gives the parents of public school students a legal
instrument to play a role in the decision making regarding the future of our
children and grandchildren. We would like the actual president of the Republic of
Guatemala, President, Jimmy Morales to know, that he and his team has exceeded
the expectations of many, including ours.

We the Garifuna of Guatemala would like to give you our
“Word”, that we hope to be among the first public schools to be registered in a
project like this from La Buga. We want to thank you and your team for making a
difference.

On the other hand the responsibility that will lie on our
shoulders as Garifuna Parents will depend on the same standard. How many of us
are ready for the extra mile. How many
of us can exceed our own expectations? How many of us can make a difference?”